Support devices for structures, and methods and systems embodying the same

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a device and method suitable for temporarily supporting formwork from piles whilst concrete is cast into the formwork to form a platform or the like carried by the piles. Each device includes a clamp member detachably securable around a pile and having horizontal flanges on which a carriage is slidably supported. The carriage includes a jack and a roller, the jack supporting the formwork during casting, and after casting, serving to lower the formwork onto the roller to permit the formwork, or parts thereof, to be readily withdrawn horizontally from beneath the platform or the like on the rollers.

Unite States atetit [1 1 [1 1 3,863,896

Hope et al. Feb. 4, 1975 [54] SUPPORT DEVICES FOR STRUCTURES, 3,664,624 5/1972 Freegard 248/221 AND METHODS AND SYSTEMS 3,776,499 12/1973 Turner 248/298 EMBODYING THE SAME [75] Inventors: Eric Hope; John William Edward Primary Examiner0thell M. Simpson Petty, both of Woking, England Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Roylance, Abrams, Berdo 731 Assignee: Richard Castain Limited, London,

England [22] Filed: Oct. 13, 1972 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 297,383

This invention relates to a device and method suitable [30] Foreign Application Priority Data for temporarily supporting formwork from piles whilst concrete lS cast into the formwork to form a platform Oct. 15, 1971 Great Britain 48175/71 or the like carried by the piles Each device includes a clamp member detachably securable around a pile and [52] [1.8. Cl .1 252/988, 2294/;1226,92486/i96, having horizontal flanges on which a carriage is s|id Int Cl 2 9/1 ably supported. The carriage includes a jack and a roln u 4 i u [58] ggg g gg f 'ig" gg igfigf gig E and after casting, serving to lower the formwork onto 21 f the roller to permit the formwork, or parts thereof, to be readily withdrawn horizontally from beneath the fill/98400 platform or the like on the rollers.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 3,504,879 4/1970 Strickland 249/18 l P L i L .1: l 3 7a 10c 7 l 1017 7b\\ T312121. /,9 7C I 4 L rr\ I J Q cg 10a 2 0-6 k I 5' 11 5 l l 10" I 10(1 PATENTEU FEB 4|975 SHEET 2 OF 4 PATENTEU 4|975 3.863 .896

SHEET 3 OF 4 SUPPORT DEVICES FOR STRUCTURES, AND METHODS AND SYSTEMS EMBODYING THE SAME This invention relates to support devices for structures, and to supporting methods and systems employing such devices.

The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, directed to devices, methods and systems, for temporarily supporting a structure, such as form work or shuttering, from piles or other supports whilst concrete or the like, which is ultimately to form a platform or the like carried by the piles, is cast in the formwork, the formwork being removed after the concrete has hardened sufficiently to become self-supporting.

Previously, such support devices have comprised metal hangers suspended from the top of the piles which, after casting, are partially embedded in the concrete. After removal of the formwork, the portions of the hangers projecting from the concrete which previously engaged the formwork, were preferably removed, and the remaining portions of the hangers were concreted over so as to become totally embedded in the concrete. Such a system possesses the disadvantages that the remaining portions of the hangers, even if totally embedded, tend to corrode and cause consequential damage to the adjacent concrete, particularly in marine or other adverse environments.

It is an object of this invention to avoid this disadvantage.

From one aspect, the present invention consists in a support device for supporting a structure from a pile or like elongate support, which device comprises a clamp member adapted to be detachably secured around the support and to frictionally grip the support, the clamp member including at least one structure-supporting element.

The lamp member may comprise a two-part collar, the two collar parts being bolted or otherwise secured together, after location of the collar parts around the support, to immovably clamp the collar to the support. The structure-supporting element may comprise one or more flanges or arms forming part of one or both collar parts. The structure may be supported directly on said arms or flanges, or by an adjustable jack or ram carried by the arms or flanges.

From another aspect the invention consists in a method for temporarily-supporting a structure from a plurality of piles or like elongate supports, which comprises clamping a plurality of support devices as above defined to the supports, locating and supporting the structure on said clamping members, and subsequently removing said structure and clamping members.

When applied to the construction, in situ, of a platform or the like from concrete or other castable material, the said structure may comprise formwork or shuttering, in which event the method will include assembling the formwork on the positioned support devices, casting the castable material in the formwork against or around the supports, allowing the castable material to harden, and subsequently removing the formwork and support devices.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood one embodiment of support device will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are, respectively, plan, side and end views of the support device when operatively assembled to an upright pile; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are, respectively, plan and side views of the jack and roller carriage shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, with the jack and roller omitted.

Referring to the drawings, the support device basically includes a clamp member comprising two collar parts 1, 2 formed from a suitable material, for example fabricated from steel plate, to the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The two collar parts I and 2 define a generally circular opening (FIG. I) for receiving a pile 3, and are secured together around the pile 3 by means of bolts 4 (FIGS. 2 and 3) to positively frictionally clamp the clamp member to the pile 3.

The collar parts 1 and 2 each include a pair of lateral arms 5 having horizontally extending flanges 6. The flanges 6 of one or both pairs of arms 5 may directly support shuttering, formwork or other structures (not shown), or may indirectly support the latter via one or more support arrangements, one of which is indicated generally at 7. This arrangement comprises a fabricated carriage which is slidable along the flanges 6, and has sides 7b formed with slots 7a in which is journalled a roller 8. An internally threaded jack nut 9 is secured to the base 7c of the carriage, and an adjustable jack screw 10 extends through the jack nut and base. Adjacent its upper end, the jack screw 10 is provided with a raised threaded zone 10a which cooperates with the jack nut 9. The jack screw 10 is provided at its upper end, with a thrust pad or plate 10b, supported from the jack screw 10 via a ball and socket joint 10c which permits universal adjustment of the inclination of the plate 10b relative to the jack screw. At its lower end, the jack screw 10 is terminated by a square boss 10d by which the jack screw may be coupled to a suitable device (not shown) for rotating the jack screw and thereby adjusting the height of the plate 10b.

The carriage of the support arrangement 7 rests on, and bridges, the adjacent flanges 6 of the two collar parts I and 2 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, with the jack screw 10 depending through the slot 11 formed between the adjacent arms 5, outwardly of the bolts 4, thus permitting horizontal sliding adjustment of the arrangement 7 along the flanges 6 toward and away from the pile 3 between the positions indicated diagrammatically in broken lines to the left of FIGS. 1 and 2, i.e., in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the roller 8. As will be clearly seen from FIG. 3, a limited amount of sliding movement of the support arrangement 17 in a direction transverse to the roller axis is also possible, due to the clearance between the jack screw 10 and the arms 5. However, an angle bracket 12 secured to the carriage and extending below one of the flanges 6 serves as a stop to limit movement of the support arrangement 7 from left to right in FIG. 3, and also serves to prevent the arrangement 7 from being accidentally separated upwardly from the flanges 6.

The dimensions of the support device just described will, of course, depend upon the particular use thereof. In one specific example, for use with piles of the order of 16 inches in diameter, where the device is to support a load of 16 to 17 tons, the collar parts and carriage may be fabricated by welding from mild steel plate ranging between and V2 inch thick, the total weight of the collar parts I and 2 and one support arrangement 7 being between 4 and 5cwt. The overall span of the collar parts 1 and 2, i.e., the distance between opposite outer ends of the flanges 6 as viewed in FIG. 1, may be approximately ft, and the support arrangement 7 may be displaceable over a distance of approximately 1 ft. along the flanges 6. The maximum lift of the jack screw may be approximately 4 inches.

A plurality of support devices, such as those of the type just described, may be employed in the construction of installations, such as marine quays or jetties, in which large reinforced concrete platforms or the like, carried on the upper ends of piles, are to be cast in situ.

Such an installation is constructed by flrstly driving rows of supporting piles into the sea bed. These piles which may be circular in cross section, and may each correspond to the pile 3, may be hollow and fabricated from metal sheet, or solid and formed from reinforced concrete. Support devices of the type previously described are then secured, one to each pile, or at least to some of the piles, adjacent the upper ends of the piles but below the elevation of the platform to be cast. This is achieved by lowering the separate collar parts 1 and 2 to the approximate required position on the respective pile by a crane or other lifting device, assembling the collar parts 1 and 2 around the pile by means of the bolts 4, and tightening the bolts to securely frictionally clamp the collar parts to the pile, with the arms 5 and flanges 6 of the support devices of each row of piles extending in a direction generally transversely of the row.

The support arrangments 7 are then assembled to their respective collars by sliding their carriages onto and along the flanges 6 from the outer ends thereof. Main girders or I beams which serve to support the formwork between the piles are then positioned one across the support arrangements 7 of the support devices of each row of piles, after adjusting the positions of the support arrangements 7 along the flanges 6 to bring their respective rollers 8 and jack thrust plates 10b directly below the beams. The beams may initially rest on the rollers, in which event, before assembly of the formwork to the beams, or at least before casting of the concrete, the jack screws 10 will be rotated to raise the thrust plates 10b, and therefore raise the beams off the rollers 8. Alternatively, the thrust plates 10b may be raised prior to location of the beams.

After assembly of the formwork of the beams (the beam and formwork being shown fragmentarily and diagrammatically in the raised position at 13 and 14 respectively in FIG. 3,) the concrete is cast into the formwork, around and embedding the tops of the piles. After setting of the concrete, the jack screws 10 are rotated to lower the thrust plates 10b to lower the beams onto the rollers 8. The beams, if desired with the formwork thereon, are then rolled out from beneath the cast concrete platform on the rollers 8, preferably in a direction from left to right in FIG. 3, so that any resultant displacement of the support arrangement 7 in the same direction is limited by the angle bracket 12, and not by engagement of the jack screw 10 with the arm 5 of the collar part 1, thus avoiding lateral loading of the jack screw. The support arrangements are then removal laterally from the flanges 6 oftheir associated collars, and the parts 1 and 2 unbolted and removed.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there is provided a particularly advantageous method of erecting platforms or other cast in situ structures, carried by piles. The support devices employed for carrying the formwork are easily securable to the piles, may be readily clamped at the required elevation, and are frictionally positively clamped in place, without requiring special locating projections on, or recesses in, the piles, and without damaging the piles. The support devices, when removed, do not leave any remnants partially or wholly embedded in the cast platform which could corrode and damage the platform. Due to the provision of the support arrangement 7, the formwork maybe readily assembled, accurately adjusted without the necessity of accurately positioning the collars, and removed. Furthermore, the support devices are uncomplicated, robust, and capable of being used time and again.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

For example, the jacks and/or rollers of the support arrangements 7 may be omitted, or the rollers may be replaced by other means to facilitate longitudinal displacement of the beams relative to the support devices during assembly and/or removal of the formwork, and the jacks may be replaced by other means to enable at least lowering of the beams and preferably also raising of the beams, for example hydraulic, sand or diaphragm jacks. One or more support arrangements 7 or equivalent may be located on one pair, or both pairs, of opposed flanges 6 of each support device. Alternatively, the support arrangements may be omitted, in which event, the beams will rest directly on the flanges 6, or their equivalent.

Although primarily intended temporarily to support formwork, the use of the support devices is not restricted thereto, and they may be employed permanently or temporarily to support other structures from piles or the like, for example gangways, cat-walks, etc.

The support devices may be used in conjunction with non-circular section piles, such as oval, rectangular, or polygonal section piles, in which event, the collar parts 1 and 2 will preferably be designed to define a correspondingly shaped pile-receiving opening. The internal surfaces of the collar parts which, in use, cooperate with the surface of the pile, may be smooth, or serrated, toothed or otherwise roughened, or tapered, to enhance the clamping action of the device.

The collar may comprise more than two parts, and the parts may be secured together by means other than bolts, and may be hingedly interconnected instead of being separate.

We claim 1. A temporary support device for temporarily supporting a structure from an elongate support, comprising a releasable clamp member adapted to be detachably secured around the support and to frictionally grip the support, the clamp member comprising a two-part collar, the two collar parts being securable together, after location of the collar parts around the support, to immovably clamp the clamp member to the support, the collar parts including generally arcuate central portions defining a generally tubular support-receiving opening within which the support is clamped when the collar parts are secured together, each collar part further including structure-supporting elements comprising a pair of flanges extending from opposite sides of the associated central portion, the flanges of one collar part being disposed parallel to, but spaced from, the flanges of the other part, when the collar parts are sethe carriage and collar parts are fabricated from sheet metal, the jack comprising a jack nut integral with the carriage and a jack screw rotatably cooperating with the jack nut, and extending downwardly between the flanges of the collar parts when the collar parts are secured to the support, and the roller being freely rotatably journalled in the carriage for rotation about an axis disposed generally parallel to the direction of the sliding of the carriage and to the'longitudinal direction of the flanges. 

1. A temporary support device for temporarily supporting a structure from an elongate support, comprising a releasable clamp member adapted to be detachably secured around the support and to frictionally grip the support, the clamp member comprising a twopart collar, the two collar parts being securable together, after location of the collar parts around the support, to immovably clamp the clamp member to the support, the collar parts including generally arcuate central portions defining a generally tubular support-receiving opening within which the support is clamped when the collar parts are secured together, each collar part further including structure-supporting elements comprising a pair of flanges extending from opposite sides of the associated central portion, the flanges of one collar part being disposed parallel to, but spaced from, the flanges of the other part, when the collar parts are secured to the support, the support device further including a structure-supporting arrangement co-operable with and supportable by said flanges, and provided with adjustable jack means capable of co-operating with the structure to support and adjust the height of the latter.
 2. A support device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said structure-supporting arrangement includes a carriage slidable along the flanges and provided with said adjustable jack means and a rotatable roller capable of supporting the structure in the lowered condition of the jack.
 3. A support device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the carriage and collar parts are fabricated from sheet metal, the jack comprising a jack nut integral with the carriage and a jack screw rotatably cooperating with the jack nut, and extending downwardly between the flanges of the collar parts when the collar parts are secured to the support, and the roller being Freely rotatably journalled in the carriage for rotation about an axis disposed generally parallel to the direction of the sliding of the carriage and to the longitudinal direction of the flanges. 